Chapter 280 - 278: Gathering

Chapter 280: Chapter 278: Gathering

"Go on back to class. Your counselor will be here soon. I’m going to head over to Normal University to check on your Sister Cui. After your classes end this afternoon, go pick her up and you two can come home together. From now on, whenever you come home, always pick up your Sister Cui first." Li Xiu glanced at the time and told Li Guo to head back to class.

As Li Guo watched his older brother’s tall, dashing figure walk away, he turned and went back to his classroom. The moment he sat down, five or six people around him all turned to stare. They were his dorm mates, and they’d gotten to know each other pretty well over the past couple of days. Staring back at several pairs of curious eyes, Li Guo felt completely exasperated.

"That was my older brother. He told me to come home after my classes this afternoon."

"Your older brother lives in the Capital City? Didn’t you say you were from the countryside?"

"I am from the countryside. My sister-in-law was one of the ’Old Three Cohorts’ from our school. When she came to the Capital City for university, my older brother came with her. They’re official residents of the Capital City now."

"So impressive! The ’Old Three Cohorts’ are all incredible. So your older brother didn’t go to university?"

"No, my older brother had to support the family. How could he have had time for university?"

"Really? But your older brother has such a refined air about him. His presence... he doesn’t seem like an ordinary person."

"I know, right? Just standing there, his presence is more powerful than our university president’s."

Li Guo smiled and didn’t reply. ’Presence? My older brother was already holding back a lot. But it’s true, presence is one of those things you can’t see or touch. No matter how much he tries to restrain it, it’s etched into his very bones. How could he not stand out in a crowd?’

When Li Xiu arrived at Normal University, he saw Li Cui’s counselor stepping out of a classroom. It was a free period for the students. He stood at the doorway, a smile gracing his lips as he watched Li Cui chat with a female classmate. ’Among his nine younger sisters, including Li Xin, Li Cui was the most inwardly brilliant. She might seem quiet and unassuming, but she was actually the most perceptive of them all.’

Nudged by her classmate, Li Cui looked up and saw her older brother at the door. She happily ran over and said, "Big Brother, what are you doing here? Where’s Sister-in-law?"

Hearing Li Cui’s words, Li Xiu couldn’t help but laugh. ’Just like Li Guo. The first thing out of her mouth is to ask for their sister-in-law. Am I really that bad? I care a lot about my younger siblings, too!’

"Your sister-in-law has a seminar today, so she’s on campus. How is everything? Are you settling in okay? And the dorms? Your sister-in-law said if you’re not comfortable, you can always come live with us." His tone with his sister was much gentler than with his brothers.

Li Cui smiled at her brother and said, "I’m getting used to everything just fine. Big Brother, did you forget? I lived in a dorm for six years back home. It’s pretty much the same, except the conditions here are better. I have six roommates in my dorm, which is way better than back home!"

"Well, if you can’t get used to it, just come live with us. Your sister-in-law wants you to come home after your classes this afternoon anyway. And on Saturdays and Sundays, come straight home too. I’ll have Li Guo come get you so you can come together," Li Xiu said, his gaze softening as he looked at her.

"I know, Big Brother. You should go take care of your things. I’ll wait for Li Guo to pick me up after class!" Glancing at the time, Li Cui urged him to head back, since it was almost noon and her brother would surely need to go pick up her sister-in-law.

Just like Li Guo, when Li Cui returned to the classroom and sat down, she found several pairs of curious eyes staring at her. She could only say with a sigh, "That was my older brother. My sister-in-law sent him to tell me to come home after class this afternoon."

"Ah? Your older brother and sister-in-law live in the Capital City!"

"Mhm, my sister-in-law was one of the ’Old Three Cohorts’ at Beijing University."

"That’s so impressive! The ’Old Three Cohorts’ are the absolute best. But, Li Cui, your older brother is really good-looking. He doesn’t look anything like you!"

’Well, duh. We don’t have the same parents, so of course we don’t look alike. Besides, Grandma always said that Big Brother takes after Grandpa the most, while my own dad looks like his uncle—my granduncle. There’s no way I’d ever end up looking like Big Brother. Although... now that I think about it, my own younger brother is starting to look more and more like him as he gets older!’

"Yeah, yeah! I didn’t get a good look, but I just thought his aura was amazing. How should I put it... he had that vibe, you know? Like ’A man on the path, as perfect as jade; a gentleman, peerless in this world.’"

"Yes, yes, yes! That’s the aura! ’An elegant gentleman, as if cut and filed, as if carved and polished!’"

"His moon-white silk sleeves greet the spring breeze, a jade-carved qilin on his red belt gleams. From the tower, immortal voices at a banquet sing, while in the tent, pipes play amidst fragrant mist."

"A modest gentleman, a sprig of orchid, a tree of jade!"

...

Li Cui couldn’t help but lower her head, press her hand to her forehead, and sigh. ’My older brother, a "humble gentleman"? Please. Still, he did rein in that imposing aura of his today. I have to admit, he did have a bit of that "elegant gentleman" vibe. But that’s all an illusion! My older brother, with his demonic intellect, his domineering and scheming nature, and his Seven-orifice Exquisite Heart, deliberately restrained his presence when he came to the university. It was probably for my sake, wasn’t it!’

On the way back after picking up Zhou Lian, Li Xiu asked gently, "Bao’er, have you received your teaching assignments for this semester?"

"Mhm, I’m still teaching the same group of students. But from what the department head said, it seems he wants me to stick with them all the way through their senior year. It’s fine, though. I’m just a lecturer, so even teaching seniors won’t be that different. I won’t be up for a promotion for another three to five years anyway. This is good too; it’ll be very relaxed," Zhou Lian said, looking at Li Xiu.

Nodding, Li Xiu said gently, "Your personality isn’t really suited for all that scheming and backstabbing anyway. Being a university lecturer is great. It’s not tiring or too busy, and there isn’t much pressure or competition. It suits you well. But, Bao’er, what do you think?"

"I don’t have any objections. This is great. Like you said, I’m not suited for that kind of infighting. Besides, I only have about ten classes a week. With all the free time I have left, I can spend it with you or do other things I enjoy. It’s not like our family needs me to earn money to support us. I can just treat it as a hobby!" Zhou Lian said calmly. She had only been working for a little over a year, and she quite liked her job. Things were good as they were, and she didn’t want anything to change yet.

"Do you have to go back to the university this afternoon?"

"No. Today and tomorrow, it’s mostly the administrators and the class counselors who are busy. I’m just a lecturer. I only need to go to the university when I have a class to teach."

...

In the afternoon, Zhou Lian was in a rare mood to write and paint in the study. Seeing how focused she was, Li Xiu didn’t disturb her. He went to the kitchen to plan the evening’s family dinner with Sister Fang. Although they had already held a welcome dinner for Li Guo and Li Cui when they first arrived in the Capital City, they would invite Li Bao’s family tonight for a proper family get-together.

As dusk approached, the courtyard grew lively again. The school-aged kids were all home. Just the four youngest children alone were making a joyous racket, roughhousing and chasing each other. The noise even drew Zhou Lian out of the study. Looking at the mix of older and younger children in the courtyard, Zhou Lian smiled, pressing her lips together.

’Two university students, three elementary schoolers, a high schooler, a middle schooler, and one little tyke. What a motley crew. Despite the huge age gap, spanning two generations, they could all play together so harmoniously, without a hint of awkwardness.’

Li Xiu had just stepped out of the kitchen, and the first thing his eyes fell upon was Zhou Lian’s gentle, lip-pressed smile. In that instant, she was as beautiful as a hundred flowers blooming in spring.